It now should be clear to you that we, The Lost Quays, are a nautical vocal group based in the port of Fremantle, Western Australia.
Not seen us? We are known for strong a cappella harmonies together with boot-stomping beats to bring to life both traditional shanties and more reflective sea songs, as well as some originals. And our live performances always provide interesting tales and stories of maritime history and musical whimsy.
Find out when The Lost Quays are performing near you…
And here’s Nick and Bill from The Lost Quays talking to Glynn Greensmith on his ABC National programme It’s Just Not Cricket 24th June 2022:
Meet The Crew
Gerry Pore
Jeff Swain
Jeff is a man who likes to drink beer and sing.
Shanty singing is a great way to achieve both. Jeff has been working on the Fremantle docks for far too long and first had his passion for the sea sparked when listening to his grandfather’s stories of his days with the Royal Navy before and during the First World War.
Max Mackenzie
Despite being a self-confessed landlubber (he gets seasick while taking a bath!), John has developed a deep love for singing shanties and songs of the sea since joining the Quays in 2022.
He adds a touch of maritime magic with his guitar playing, creating a harmonious blend of land and sea.
John Battista
Bill Jones
With ancestors in the Royal Navy and decades of a cappella singing under his expanding belt, Clive finally found in The Lost Quays a group of like-minded men with whom he could enjoy interrogating the history of sailing, rollicking harmony singing and focused beard growth.
Clive Lacey
Grant Ryan
After a six-month stint manning a lighthouse, Grant ventured North to Denmark, only to navigate back to these familiar shores.
Always ready with a sea tale or a shanty, he’s proof that even the saltiest sailors find their way home.
Cameron Mackenzie
Cameron has always loved singing, mostly to his two young sons. After his brother Max joined The Lost Quays, sea shanties took over the house—so he figured he might as well join in properly. By day, he wrangles data for a resources company. By night, he settles for singing about boats instead of owning one.
“I am a descendent of the Maori people who navigated their way across the pacific ocean from Hawaiiki in open canoes and landed in New Zealand in the 13th century.
My Polynesian ancestry and its cultural ties with the sea and and traditional songs provide a perfect background for me to indulge in the wonderful stories and history of sea shanties.”
By day, Max lights up the stage for theatre and circus, wrangling spotlights instead of sails. But when the work’s done, he dives into sea shanties — the perfect mix of choir harmonies, rollicking folk vibes, and preserving maritime history one raucous chorus at a time.
Who needs a ship when you’ve got a pub and a pint?
When he was younger, Bill liked to walk the beaches of Fremantle searching for flotsam, jetsam and old relics.
Now he's part of a shanty band.
The circle of life is complete.
Nick Eustance
Nick is a confirmed landlubber. He had serious reservations about joining a shanty group. But after years of Beethoven, Elgar and the like, there was no better place to go.
Plus, it was some justification for having bought an expensive vintage concertina!
James Culverhouse
James was recruited into the band after beating Clive into second place in a “Write Your Own Shanty” competition at Bunbury Shanty Festival in 2024. “If you can’t beat ‘em, then sign ‘em onto the crew!”.
